Look at Touchpoint Marketing through Customer-Centric Eyes!

Multi-channel marketing, evidently drives focus on channels, however, the current approach includes greater emphasis on tactics, strategies and consideration of buyers’ life cycle than on channels.

Touchpoint marketing, on the other hand, takes it to the next level, by mapping visible and invisible interactions or associations, between a customer and a brand. Today, it is all about creating that experience and building close connections with your customers across channels.

Different touchpoint marketing models adopt distinct approaches. 

1. Based on the Buying Stage – This model focuses on touchpoints based on buyer stages such as pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase (in terms of CRM). 

2. Based on the Buying Funnel – This model emphasizes on touchpoints based on the buyer cycle such as awareness, consideration, purchase, service and loyalty. 

3. Based on Customer Experience – This model maps touchpoints to customer experiences, interactions and actions. The buyer cycle here corresponding to marketing goals.

Here’s an example of various customer touchpoints based on the buying funnel:

Buyer Cycle	Customer Touchpoints
	Physical	Digital
Awareness	Word of mouth, PR, radio, TV, outdoor media, print	Digital billboard, email, online ads
Consideration	Direct / Snail Mail	Blogs, third party websites, search landing page
Purchase	Call center, store	Website
Service	Call Center IVR	Chat / IM, Mobile
Loyalty	Promotion through invoices, other purchase material	Newsletter, blog, email

One way to create that connection or provide that experience, is by going the extra mile and giving importance to the finer details of intrinsic value. 

A beautiful analogy is the story that defined the way legendary Steve Jobs thought and lived. When a much younger Jobs and his father were building a fence, he told his son to build the back of the fence with as much as care as the front, even if no one may have been able to see it. The fact that Jobs was concerned about the appearance of circuit boards, although people could not see it, showed how the passionate creator went to extents to create value and extraordinary, customer experiences.

A robust brand identity is one that lingers and makes its home in the mind of your customers. 

When was the last time you delighted your customer? 

Does your brand experience include the ‘back of the fence’ value?

Use a segmented database, to customize and personalize your interaction with your customers!